Baseball camp will showcase some of Greenbrier's greatest players
The Greenbrier Wolfpack baseball team has been as successful as any program in the state since the school opened its doors in 1996.
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The 'Pack has won five state titles, has players starring in the Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference, and recently had a former player taken in the second round of the Major League draft.
Head coach Chris Wilkins and his staff will hold a two-day baseball camp Dec. 21 and 22 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the school. The camp is open to boys from second to eighth grades.
In addition to the Greenbrier staff and players, including four college signees and others likely to sign before the end of the year, several past Greenbrier standouts will be on hand for the camp.
Rich Poythress, who was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the second round of the June amateur draft, will be an instructor. Poythress helped lead Greenbrier to the 2006 AAAA state crown before a stellar career with the Georgia Bulldogs. In addition to helping the Bulldogs reach the 2008 College World Series finals, Poythress also set a school single-season RBI record and was named All-American after the 2009 campaign.
Former Greenbrier pitcher Nolan Belcher will also attend. He will enter his sophomore season for the South Carolina Gamecocks this spring.
During an illustrious prep career, Belcher posted an astonishing 47-2 record with more than 500 strikeouts and a career ERA below 1.00. He also played a major role in three high school state championships (two at Greenbrier and one at Augusta Christian).
Georgia Tech junior Jeff Rowland also will be on hand. He was drafted in the 21st round in June but chose to return to Georgia Tech for his junior year. He will try to build on two extremely solid seasons in Atlanta. In 2009, he earned All-ACC First Team honors, hitting .356 for the Jackets. Rowland won a pair of state titles while at Greenbrier.
With this much baseball talent and knowledge on hand, the youngsters who attend should learn a lot. For those who would like to attend, call Greenbrier High School at (706) 650-6040 or e-mail coach Wilkins at christopher.wilkins@ccboe.net.